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Design Matters: How Flex Lanes Keep Traffic Moving We sat down with Jason Watson, project manager in the FOCUS Transportation Department, to learn how flex lanes help roads handle the changing direction of traffic. On a typical five-lane road, two lanes travel in each direction, while the center lane is used for left turns. During […]

Design Matters: Fire Safe Design in Land Planning As development continues to expand into Utah’s Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), wildfire resilience is becoming an increasingly important consideration in the land planning . While wildfire mitigation is often associated with emergency response or building materials, many of the most impactful decisions happen long before construction begins. For […]

Design Matters: Planning Dry Utilities for Higher-Density Communities As housing affordability remains a major focus across Utah, residential developments are becoming denser than they were just a few years ago. According to Ben Duzett, Site Civil Residential Department Manager at FOCUS Consulting, that shift is changing how communities are designed and making early dry utility […]

Design Matters: The Wizardry Behind the Curtain for Construction Surveying & Staking Before construction staking ever begins, the real work is already underway. Behind each point placed in the field is a process of surveying, modeling, and coordination that quietly shapes the outcome of a project. For Ish Bate, a survey technician in the FOCUS […]

Jeff Rotta is a technician within the FOCUS construction staking department. Jeff didn’t set out with a plan to join the AEC industry, but sometimes the best careers begin with curiosity. After coming across an opportunity at FOCUS, he decided to give it a try, quickly discovering a role that combined problem-solving, exploration, and hands-on […]

Design Matters – From Concept to Permit: What Goes on Behind the Scenes of CAD When a client approaches FOCUS Consulting with a project in mind, many come with a vision of how their future space should look and feel. Whether it’s a custom home, remodel, or residential development, the CAD Services team works to […]

Rylee Hansen is a designer in the CAD services department at FOCUS. Rylee has always been drawn to the impact that design can have on everyday life. With a strong interest in residential architecture from a young age, she found herself naturally paying attention to the details of how spaces were put together. That early […]

Design Matters: Structural BIM Modeling At FOCUS, the shift toward 3D modeling has changed more than just how drawings are produced. It has reshaped how teams communicate, coordinate, and understand a building long before it is constructed. For Scott Dawes, a CAD designer at FOCUS, that shift is as much about visibility as it is […]

FOCUS Consulting has been named Best Building Engineer by the 2026 Best of SLC Awards, a community-driven program that recognizes outstanding businesses across the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The honor reflects both technical expertise and sustained client trust, which remain central to the firm’s approach. A Community-Based Measure of Excellence The Best of SLC […]

Design Matters: Navigating the City Approval Process Every development project begins long before construction crews arrive on site. Behind the scenes, developers and planners work through a detailed approval process with city staff, planning commissions, and sometimes city councils. Depending on the project, this process can move quickly or take several years. Megan Spencer from […]